The Eternal Maid
by The Wonderless Wizard of Oz
Summary: When Sakuya Izayoi confronts Remilia Scarlet over her sudden distant behaviour, she delivers her maid an ultimatum: Eternity as a vampire, or banishment from the Scarlet Devil Mansion. This short story covers the initial days of her decision.
1. Chapter 1

Welp, it's been along time since I've posted anything. I've been writing this short story on and off for a while. It's heavily inspired by a concept within another fanfic titled "A Mortal Moon" by TearsInTheSnow1994. I'll leave footnotes at the end of chapter 4 incase anyone wants to know where my head's at. Also, it should be noted that I only have a rudimentary knowledge of the Touhouverse. As Cave Johnson once said, "We're throwing science at the wall here. Not sure what's gonna stick." Just replace science with bullshit.

Touhou, and all its respective characters and settings are property of Zun.

* * *

All it took was for Sakuya to inquire about her Mistress's sudden change of behaviour. About why she suddenly distanced herself from the close bond they shared. There were a few heated words, then Remilia broke down in tears. During Sakuya's many years as head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion, she had seen its Mistress go through a plethora of mood swings. But until that night one week ago, she'd never seen her cry….

_"I'm frightened, Sakuya." Remilia sobbed, wiping the tears from her ruby red eyes. "I have grown too close to you…."_

_"Of what reason do you have to be frightened of our bond, my lady?" Sakuya asked._

_"That I will be alone once more when you leave me." Came the sombre reply._

_"Don't be ridiculous." Sakuya said bluntly. "My life is indebted to you, and will forever be in your service."_

_"But it won't be." Remilia rose from her chair on those words, before gazing out at the crescent moon in the dimly lit night sky. "Time will see to that."_

_Sakuya didn't reply. She knew what the Scarlet vampire meant by those last words, and lacked any comforting retort to put her mistress at ease._

_"Your spirit maybe sworn to me eternally, but your physical body is not. It will age, whither, and eventually die out. And your spirit, despite its resilience, will be whisked away to a place I can't follow. And even with your ability to manipulate time, you cannot stop this."_

_The silver haired maid struggled to remain stoic as Remilia poured out her confession. The vampire was right: Someday, Sakuya would die, and her soul would be ferried across the Sanzu River. Away from her mistress, and off to parts unknown. Sakuya was unsure of what frightened her more. The event of dying itself, or the idea of being forcefully parted from Remilia._

_"Maybe someday, after you're gone, someone else might-no. You truly are irreplaceable to me, Sakuya. And for that, I hate you." Remilia said with an almost apologetic tone._

_"You….. hate me?!" Sakuya gasped, as her unshakable demeanour began to crumble._

_"I hate you for your mortality. And I hate myself for it, because I want to love you. Truly love you. But knowing how our path will end, I can't dedicate myself to you the same way you have to me."_

_Sakuya slumped to her knees, and allowed her tears to roll freely down her cheek. Until tonight, she was sure that Remilia loved her as much as she loved the vampire. And to hear now that she was hated by the being of her affections just for being mortal. Sakuya felt as if her heart was literally shattering within her chest._

_"Your love means too much to me to hear this from you, Remilia!" Sakuya found herself almost shouting, as she cast aside her etiquette as head maid. "I will do whatever it takes to earn your love despite me being mortal. I will work harder, I will make better tea, I will-"_

_"Would you give up your humanity for me?" Remilia interrupted._

_"What?!"_

_"There is only one way I can love you without the fear of losing you." Remilia explained, as she turned around to face her bewildered maid. "But it requires some re-assurance that you will stay by my side."_

_Sakuya began to tremble slightly as her mistress slowly approached her. Despite the lack of moonlight, Remilia was cast against the night sky as an ominous silhouette. Normally, Sakuya could make sense of Remilia's often cryptic words. Right now the silver haired maid could barely make sense of her own mind._

_"As I said, your physical body cannot hope to match the commitment of your spirit. But I could change that."_

_"What are you saying?!" Sakuya asked impatiently, now physically feeling the close proximity between her and Remilia._

_"That the only way for me to love you, is for you to make one last pledge to me." As Remilia spoke, she gently clasped Sakuya's chin between her thumb and index finger, and tilted her head up to lock eyes._

_"Pledge yourself to me as my eternal maid. Cast aside your humanity, and accept immortality at my side, as a vampire."_

_Those words caused Sakuya to collapse backwards from her knees, breaking free from Remilia's hold. She gazed up at the vampire in pure shock as her words sunk in properly. She'd never even considered that Remilia would even ask her to become a vampire, never mind whether or not she could go through with it. But the dejected look on Remilia's face told Sakuya that she telegraphed a pre-mature answer, thus blowing her only chance._

_"I see….. So your love does have its boundaries after all….." She sighed, as she turned away from her maid._

_"I didn't say no!" Sakuya spoke up._

_"You didn't say yes, either."_

_There was a brief moment of silence between them._

_"I'll give you 7 days from tonight. If you can't take that last step by then….. You will have to leave Scarlet Devil Mansion. And never come back." Remilia spoke bluntly and directly._

_"Leave the mansion?!" Sakuya repeated, now thrice rocked to her core._

_"It's the only way, Sakuya. I either have you forever, or I embrace the loneliness before I grow too attached to your presence."_

_And then silence, once more. Sakuya was rendered well and truly speechless by the ultimatum delivered to her: Become a vampire and remain at Remilia's side for eternity, or stay human and face banishment from the Scarlet Devil Mansion. Before she could dwell on the repercussions of either choice, Remilia spoke again._

_"I don't need to tell that not a word of this is to be spoken outside this room. Now, if you don't mind, I need my privacy."_

_Despite her thought patterns being scattered, her maid instincts immediately kicked in. She quickly moved to retrieve Remilia's tea tray, and with an unusual lack of grace, she fumbled with the tray almost spilling the contents of the teapot. Somehow recovering, she moved with haste to leave Remelia's private chamber. She didn't even glance back at the vampire. She couldn't bear to. Right now all she wanted was to be left alone with her thoughts, and far away from everyone._

.

That was almost 7 nights ago exactly. And depending on Sakuya's decision, tonight would be her last night in the Scarlet Devil Mansion. The past week had taken its toll on her, despite it not being any more chaotic than an average week in Remilia's abode. Even with the Vampire's ultimatum weighing heavily on Sakuya's mind, she made sure not falter in her duties. The moments she had to reflect on her feelings were few and far between, and because of it, she became more liberal in using her time manipulation powers to extend these moments. As a side effect however, she was depriving herself of sleep. By the end of the week, she was looking physically tired, and feeling lethargic and extremely grouchy towards anyone who wasn't Remilia (which at one point almost caused Sakuya to draw knives on Hong Meiling when she was caught napping-again).

Although they looked human for the most part, the realm of Gensokyo was mostly populated by youkai, beast-kin, and other mythical beings. To actually be a human in this realm was something of a rarity, and Sakuya took a lot of pride in this. And if this wasn't enough, she held a position of authority as a human over creatures who were her seniors by centuries. On the other hand, there was Remilia herself to contend with. At some point, Sakuya grew close to the vampire to the point of falling in love with her, and Remilia had returned her affections in private. But then suddenly, Remilia withdrew, for reasons unknown to Sakuya until a week ago, which came down to her ultimatum-eternity or nothing. On the surface, the demands were extremely selfish on the Vampire's part. But were they really? Remilia could've left her to her miserable fate as an infant. Instead, she took her in. She gave Sakuya her name. She raised her. She gave her a home. She gave her authority. She gave her a sense of purpose and pride. And finally, she taught Sakuya how to tap into her latent powers. All she asked for in return was a bit of cooking and cleaning. And on top of that, Remilia was prepared to give Sakuya her love. Was it really selfish of Remilia to ask her to give up her humanity when she had given her so much, and was willing to give so much more?

In the end, it boiled down to a choice between pride and desire. Choosing one, would cost her the other.

Sakuya sighed quietly as she finished preparing Remilia's supper, shortbread biscuits and Earl Grey tea. Remilia had requested that Sakuya always bring two cups when bringing tea to her private quarters on the off chance she'd want her company for a while. Given the circumstances, tonight would be a certainty. She left the main kitchen, and made the long journey of stairs and hallways to Remilia's private chamber. Strengthening her resolve, she took one last deep breath, before knocking gently three times on the door.

"Enter." Remilia replied.

With a loud creak protruding from the large wooden doors, Sakuya entered to find Remilia patiently seated at her tea table positioned not too far from her bed. Her ruby eyes glistened brightly despite or maybe because of the room being dimly lit. Sakuya could barely make out a warm smile on Remilia's lips. One that only Sakuya has had the pleasure of seeing. Seeing it nerved Sakuya, given the weight of what tonight's events might bring down on the two of them. She began to feel uneasy about her mistress's current mood and mind state, but pushed through it, and proceeded as she normally would. She silently approached the tea table, before placing the tray in front of Remilia. Sakuya then went about preparing Remilia's first cup. She poured the tea first, then one spoonful of sugar. She then materialised a knife in her left hand and held her right over Remilia's cup to add the final ingredient. Exactly five drops of Sakuya's blood.

"Won't be necessary tonight." Remilia spoke, causing Sakuya to pause. "Please, sit."

Whenever Sakuya brought Remilia tea, she always insisted on mixing it with the head maid's blood whether in public or private. Tonight would be the first night that she drunk tea in Sakuya's presence without her blood. As she sat down, Sakuya had to wonder if the Vampire was beginning to cleanse herself from the taste of her blood, or…..

"You've requested my blood to be mixed in your tea, my lady as long as I have been able to serve it to you. May I ask why you've forgone it tonight?"

"Tonight is special." Remilia replied, as she intently took a sip from her tea.

"You're right." Sakuya frowned. "This could be the last night I get to spend with you."

"Possibly your last night of captivity and servitude. Is that not something to celebrate?"

Remilia seemed to be putting a positive spin on the idea of leaving Scarlet Devil Mansion as though she were giving Sakuya the chance to obtain freedom. It was frustratingly impossible to figure out what the vampire was playing at. Was she trying to convince herself that maybe letting go of Sakuya was a good thing? Or was this simply to test how much the maid really wanted to stay with her?

"I….. haven't really thought much on what I'd do if I were to leave" Sakuya confessed, biting back her frustration.

"Well….. I'm sure Reimu might have need of you at her shrine. Maybe you could find a place amongst your own kind in the human village. Or perhaps you could cross over into the outer world, where humans are more commonplace. Although with their dependence on science and technology, your aptitude with magic might come off as frightening."

Again, the vampire's words leant strongly towards Sakuya leaving. If she wasn't aware of the double meanings Remilia was capable of portraying with words. Exhausted and agitated due loss of sleep from worrying about this final decision, Sakuya Izayoi was in no mood to play her mistress's mind games tonight.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd get the idea that you might actually want me gone." Sakuya spoke almost at shout volume as she shot out from her chair. "Or maybe I _truly_ don't know any better!"

"Sakuya….."

"What do you want from me, Remilia?!"

"You know what I want." She spoke calmly in the face of her maid's anger.

"Then why speak as though my leaving your side is a good thing?!"

"Because I know how strong your pride is in what you are, Sakuya. I know how much you value being human." Remilia calmly rose from her chair, and approached Sakuya, wrapping her hands around the maid's balled fists.

"Which is why I've given you this last choice. A chance at freedom, or an eternity with me." The tears flowing from Remilia's eyes melted Sakuya's mood, and her fists gradually opened

"Tell me, Remilia." Sakuya spoke, now at the point of tears herself. "what good is freedom without a purpose to follow?"

"What good is pride without the one who instilled it in me?"

She laced her fingers with Remilia's and held on for dear life.

"These silly little things mean nothing to me, if it means losing the most important person in my life!"

"Sakuya, are you saying that-"

"I'll do it!" The maid cried out, as she fell to her knees. "I pledge myself to you as your maid, from now till the end of time. And beyond."

Remilia stood frozen for a moment, with her warm smile still fixed to her face. She then slowly detached her hands from Sakuya's before taking the maid's head and pressing it against her stomach.

"This path you're taking for me. It won't be an easy one." The vampire said, brushing her fingers through the silver locks of Sakuya's hair.

She said nothing, and instead snuggled closer to Remilia to indicate her understanding. She didn't care. Nothing about life in the Scarlet Devil mansion was easy. But the love its mistress was able to give made all the hardships worth it.

"And still you've chosen to cross it for me. You truly are…. Irreplaceable."

"So what has to happen for me to turn?" Sakuya asked.

"Well….." Remilia replied, as she lowered herself to look her maid in the eye. "I need to take some of your blood, modify it, and return it to your system."

"And how will you do that?"

"Don't worry about the details. I just need you to relax."

"As you wish….."

Sakuya shuddered as Remilia slowly untied the bow on her shirt before undoing a few buttons so that she could expose the maid's slender neck. She instantly felt stupid for asking Remilia how she was going to turn her. She knew more than enough about vampires to know better. There would be no magic rituals or instantaneous transformations here. But for all the knowledge she possessed, she still had no idea what to expect when it came to experiencing the changes herself. She imagined that they would happen subtly over the course of a month at most, but even this was just guesswork on her part. But she knew this much: It would all start with a bite.

She felt the chill of Remilia's cold breath over the side of her neck. As if her body began acting on its own power, Sakuya tilted her head to the side to allow easier access. She barely had time to register Remilia's lips over her neck before feeling two ivory stakes pressing against the skin. With a slight push, they broke through, scoring the sweet wine of Sakuya's veins, and earning a loud gasp from the maid's lips. It hurt, but surprisingly far less than she expected. She wasn't sure how it was happening, but Sakuya could feel whole mouthfuls of blood leave her neck through Remilia's fangs. Then she felt another mouthful leave. Then another. At this point, the thought of Remilia having deceived her just for the chance to drink her dry entered the mind.

_I have to trust you._ The maid repeated over and over again in her head like a mantra to ease her increasingly terrified mind.

Finally, a wash of relief came over her when she felt fluid re-enter her body. Now Sakuya realised why Remilia refused the maid's blood in her tea. She was double dipping, taking as many mouthfuls of Sakuya's human blood as she could get away with before taking claim to her as her eternal maid. The vampire worked herself into a pattern. Three mouthfuls out, and one mouthful in. Gradually, Sakuya began to feel warm, lightheaded, and tingly across her skin. She wasn't sure if it was due to the loss of blood, or the way Remilia gently rolled her tongue across her neck to lap up anything her fangs missed. Or the way she gently supported Sakuya, with slender digits tracing lines across Sakuya's back.

In her mind, it ended before it began. Slowly, Remilia withdrew her fangs from Sakuya's neck, giving it one last gentle kiss before pulling away to make eye contact with her maid. With her eyes glazed over, and her breath shaky, she vaguely looked back at remelia.

"I should return… I should….." She stuttered as she awkwardly got to her feet.

Her legs felt like jelly, and managed only one step before doubling back. She expected to meet the ground hard, only to find herself falling into Remilia's open arms. Now off her feet, she let any pretence of self-control slip, as she felt herself being scooped up and carried. Her last moment of consciousness was being placed down on a bed, and Remilia snuggling into her side.


	2. Chapter 2

The Eternal Maid

3 days later…..

In the centre of the vast rows of bookshelves within the Scarlet Devil Mansion's library, a girl with lilac hair dressed in long baby blue robes sat slumped at her desk. Lady Remilia had acquired a substantial number of new books, and as the keeper of the library, it fell to patchouli knowledge to re-arrange her entire catalogue to accommodate the new material. Even for a magician as powerful as her, the task was colossal, sometimes taking whole days to re-sort the library. Today, she was feeling defeated, as the final count revealed exactly two hundred books missing. She knew where they had gone. Five resided with Meiling, and another five with Reimu at the Hakurei shrine. The rest had been 'borrowed' by Marisa Kirisame without asking. Between Remilia constantly acquiring reading material she'll never read, and Marisa's pilfering, Patchouli was sure there was never a moment where the Library's contents were truly kept in order. She leant back on her chair, and allowed herself do daydream.

Although Patchouli had never travelled to the outer world of science herself, she had ways of prying into the goings on there. They had invented a machine that could be opened like a book, yet was capable of storing exactly seven times the contents of the whole library, and then some-and that was merely one of a multitude of functions it had. Better yet, she learnt that these machines were capable of connecting to an expansive communications device that allowed them to access a potentially infinite amount of knowledge. The idea of having a computer was pure heaven for Patchouli. She could have the entire library's wealth of knowledge in a single place she could carry on her person. And Marisa's compulsive 'borrowing' would be a thing of the past. But she forced herself to come back to reality. She existed in the realm of Gensokyo, where it was possible to change the weather on construct semi-conscious familiars from the elements of nature, but impossible to conveniently store this knowledge. Which brought her back to her current predicament.

She needed to get those books back. She could get the books Meiling borrowed herself easy enough. But she'd need to wait at least a few more days before Reimu's next visit. Her biggest problem was getting Marisa's share back. She could ask Reimu to convince her to hand the books over on her next visit. Failing that, she could request Sakuya to strong arm the books from her directly. The thought of Sakuya seemed to cause the temperature to plummet somehow, as a familiar chill overtook her body. The sensation was similar to being in the presence of Lady Remilia, yet at the same time it felt completely different. Patchouli felt a nauseating wave of fear rise in her at the thought of Flandre escaping the basement. As powerful as she was, Patchouli was no match for the younger mentally unstable Scarlet sister in single combat. No one was-save for Remilia, or perhaps the Hell Raven. Patchouli quickly launched off of her chair, prepared for the fight of her life-only to find Sakuya of all people approaching instead.

Patchouli hadn't had contact with the head maid for a few days at least. In that time, something drastic must have happened to her, because she looked, and felt completely different. The most obvious was her change of attire. Patchouli had seen Sakuya deviate from her usual attire a few times. But this was completely different. The white and blue of her maid's attire was replaced with a black full length pinstriped shirt, featuring a white collar and cuffs, and finished off with a green tie and full leather gloves. Her new black dress had shed some length of her original, and a considerable amount of length aswell. Black stockings replaced white socks, stopping a fair distance away from the dress and giving the eye a healthy amount of thigh to look at. In general, the dark yet elegant change of attire truly represented her position as head maid of the Scarlet Devil Mansion.

But that wasn't what threw Patchouli off. Her normally silver hair sported a more snow white colour to it. The desaturated colour of her eyes had brightened to the point of looking like silver. Her facial features seemed to have sharpened slightly, making her seem more alert, super alert even. And finally, the chill Patchouli felt appeared to be radiating from the maid.

_Did Lady Remilia- Oh Sakuya…_

Perhaps sending Sakuya after her books wasn't such a good idea after all.

"Good afternoon, Patchouli. I come bringing refreshments." She smiled, as if totally unaware of her own metamorphosis.

"Ah, well met, Miss Sakuya. Your talents of clairvoyance continue to impress me." Patchouli replied.

"Hardly." The maid chuckled, placing a tea tray on Patchouli's desk. "I just have a habit of being in the right place at the right time."

Patchouli gave a light grin, while Sakuya gazed about the shelves, as if she were looking for something.

"So, how goes the sorting?" Sakuya asked.

"Oh, I'm done, but I've discovered that I've lent more books than I was aware of."

"I see….." Sakuya answered, understanding the hidden meaning behind the witch's words. "I guess it's a bad time to be asking for a book then."

"It's not so bad. I'm only short two hundred books, so I might be able to help you out."

"Excellent. Anything on vampires?"

"Vampires?" Patchouli repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Some fiction, perhaps?"

"No. Not quite."

"How odd." Patchouli trailed off, as she moved closer to the oblivious maid. "I'd have thought that you would have learnt all you needed to know about vampires as Lady Remilia's personal attendant."

Patchouli then reached out to gently grab Sakuya's arm. As she made contact, she felt that familiar chill shoot up her forearm, only far more intense from direct contact. This had all but confirmed Patchouli's suspicions.

"You are cold to the touch."

"What?" Sakuya asked, slightly taken off guard by Patchouli's touch.

"Lady Remilia has turned you." Patchouli proclaimed.

The maid took a step back, no doubt shocked at how the Librarian had known what was only intended for her and Remilia.

"But how did you-"

"As natural magician, I am sensitive to all elements that flow through Gensokyo." Patchouli interrupted.

"I can pick up on even the most subtle changes in a being's aura. And yours have been anything but."

Lacking any sort of reply, Sakuya turned her head away, as if she were suddenly ashamed to look the Librarian in the eye. Patchouli looked over the maid with genuine concern. She knew that her dedication to both house and lady was such that Sakuya would jump off a cliff if Remilia ordered it. She was also the only person in the mansion who could see how Sakuya had fallen for the lady of the mansion. There was no doubt in her mind that Remilia had similar feelings for her maid. Why else would she offer her vampiric immortality. But knowing her jaded nature developed from loving and losing in the past, Remilia would have put it forward as a stipulation, intended to test how far Sakuya's love would go for her. The results of that test were now standing in front of Patchouli, but Sakuya had to know better than most that immortality as vampire came at a cost.

"I won't question our Lady's intentions, or yours. I just hope you realise what you've gotten yourself into"

"I do." Sakuya re-assured. "This way will be better for both of us, I think."

"In any case, you're probably here seeking information on the changes you're going through. If it helps, the things you're going through are actually all in your head." Patchouli explained.

"What do you mean?" Sakuya inquired.

"The actual physical changes from human to vampire take place in a night's sleep. The brain however, takes some time adjust these changes. It might be several weeks before your mind adapts to your body's new needs. As for your powers however, discovering their full extent could take centuries."

"Most of it won't be as hard as you think." Patchouli finished.

"Most?" Sakuya repeated.

"Well, there is one aspect you'll struggle with, and you know what that is."

"We'll cross that bridge when we get to it."

"Just remember that there's a good reason Flandre remains sealed in the basement." Patchouli warned.

"I shall return for the tray later" The witch's words hit Sakuya hard, judging by the way she turned and stormed off in a hurry.

As Patchouli watched the maid leave, her concerns naturally levitated towards her new vampiric state. There would be a brief struggle but she was confident that Sakuya wouldn't lose herself to the bloodlust that took the sanity of Remilia's sister. But that wasn't what troubled Patchouli. Sakuya already commanded a considerable amount of power as a mere human. But as a vampire, her full potential would be terrifyingly immense. Patchouli had to wonder. Should the servant's power grow to rival or even exceed that of her mistress, would love and loyalty cave in to ambition?

…

Cold.

It was the strongest sensation Sakuya Izayoi felt in her body. It felt nothing like the chill brought on from standing outside during a winter's day. It was something deeper that resonated within the core of her being. In truth, she should have been used to this. Being around Remilia for so long, one grew accustomed to the cold sensation that emanated around her. Sakuya's body had even familiarised itself with her touch. But the feeling coming from within had thrown her off again.

_It's only been 3 days. _Sakuya told herself. _I have an eternity to adjust to this._

Sakuya also noticed other changes as well, mainly associated with the common misconceptions of vampiric weaknesses. While Sakuya could walk out in daylight safe in the knowledge that she wouldn't combust from its touch, she found her enjoyment of it gone, replaced with an unpleasant itch over her skin. She also found herself tiring far quicker under sunlight. In contrast, she felt impervious to fatigue while working inside the house, especially if she was doing something after dusk. At some point, Sakuya would probably need to change her sleeping patterns to accommodate this. On the flipside though, she found herself able to operate at twice the capacity of her human self, while needing only half the sleep.

Dealing with water was another thing that Sakuya had to approach differently. Contrary to popular belief, Vampires were not prone to shrivelling/melting from being exposed to water. However, Sakuya found that the warm baths she usually enjoyed felt akin to being cooked alive in a boiling pot. Only cold water could bring about the enjoyment she once extracted from baths-albeit in a different way. Vampires were creatures of the night after all. Night is associated with cold, and naturally sakuya would draw more comfort from those things. Perhaps one day, she'd even come to appreciate the cold within her own being.

Her appetite was perhaps the biggest change Sakuya was dealing with. To her surprise, she could still eat regular food, and still enjoy the taste. But she no longer felt replenished from eating. As a vampire, Sakuya's nourishment would come from elsewhere. She hadn't felt it yet, but the thirst for blood would come to her soon enough. The maid was under no illusions that there'd be a pretty way of feeding. On Remilia's next hunt in the outer world, Sakuya would accompany her, and claim her first victim. She didn't particularly relish the thought, but at the same time, it didn't terrify or disgust her either. To be at Remilia's side, enduring the necessities of life as a vampire was more than worth it. And as Patchouli had told her-most of it wouldn't be that bad.

Day gradually turned to night once more, and with the majority of her tasks finished, Sakuya prepared Remilia's tea the way she usually did before taking her usual journey to Remilia's quarters. She was more anxious than usual to speak with the Scarlet vampire than usual. She needed to talk to her about Patchouli. As per usual, Sakuya knocked on the door three times.

"Enter."

Sakuya found her love patiently waiting at her tea table, as she always did. She approached the tea table, and poured two cups of tea. Remilia no longer required the maid's blood to be mixed in anymore, as drinking another vampire's blood was considered a big no-no in Remilia's code of 'Vampirettiquette', as she jokingly put it sometimes. Sakuya then took a seat opposite Remilia, and gently took a sip from her cup. Thankfully, her sudden distaste for hot water hadn't affected her enjoyment of tea.

"Is something on your mind, Sakuya?" Remilia asked.

"Patchouli knows." Sakuya confirmed.

"So she does." Remilia spoke casually, as she twirled her spoon around in her cup.

"You don't sound surprised."

"I'm not. And you shouldn't be either." Remilia took on a lecturing tone with her words. "Patchouli has a habit of knowing things you'd think would be impossible for her to know. She always has."

"Also, she and I had our own discussion about it." She added.

"No doubt after my talk with her."

"Mm. Thankfully, she didn't bore me over the risks I already know about, like you falling to bloodlust and the like. But….."

Sakuya felt alittle uneasy with the way Remilia threw about things like bloodlust so casually in conversation. More to the point, she wanted to know what Remilia meant by 'but'.

"But what?" Sakuya asked.

"She feels that your full potential as a vampire might exceed mine. Possibly even Flandre's."

"Surely she jests. I can't believe for a second that lowly servant such as myself could exceed your power, even if I'm a vampire now." Sakuya protested.

"You should. Because I do. At least where I'm concerned."

"My sister however is probably an exaggeration on Patchouli's part." She continued, unaware of her maid's dumbfounded reaction.

"…Even _if _that were the case, this won't change-" Sakuya stopped herself when she realised exactly what Patchouli's concerns were.

"Remilia, surely Patchouli doesn't think that I would try and hurt you, does she?!" Sakuya worriedly shouted as she shot out from her chair.

"Patchouli worries about everything. You know this." The Scarlet vampire's casual reply did nothing to ease her maid's mind.

"You're not worried that I would try something like that, are you?" Sakuya rushed over to Remilia's side, and fell to a knee, desperate to hear any sort of re-assurance from her mistress.

"Do I look worried?" Remilia replied, having risen from her own chair as she tenderly cupped Sakuya's chin in her hand.

"If I thought for a second that you might try and hurt me, I would have never given you the option of becoming a vampire." She led her maid back to her feet as she spoke her re-assuring words.

"Sakuya, I have faith in you. I've always had faith in you. And I always will."

Sakuya fought back a wave of tears brought on by her mistress's kind words. With a gentle smile, she raised a gloved hand and placed it over Remilia's.

"Thank you, Remilia."

Remilia removed the hand that had cupped Sakuya's chin, and brought it over the hand Sakuya had brought over hers before clasping it gently. Hand in hand, Remilia walked her maid towards her bed, giving her a warm grin.

"Come. lay with me for a while."

Without letting go of her maid's hand, Remilia guided herself onto her bed. She rested her head on her pillow, as she lay on her side facing Sakuya. The maid was next, setting herself opposite her mistress. As their already joined hands interlaced, Sakuya drew Remilia in closer by snaking her free arm over Remilia's back. In turn, Remilia's free hand rested on Sakuya's cheek. It occurred to neither of them that they were both still wearing footwear.

"Try not to read too much into Patchouli's concern, Sakuya. It'll take her a while, but she'll see that this is a good thing. Not just for me, but for all of us." Remilia spoke gently before breaking into a light giggle.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just find it funny that Patchouli has all this insight and wisdom, and she still can't stop Marisa from pinching our books."

Even Sakuya found herself laughing. They both laughed, and somehow found themselves cuddled closer to each other. It suddenly occurred to Sakuya that this was the first time she was able to hold Remilia like this since being turned.

"I've missed this." She gingerly spoke, as her silver eyes stared longingly into those of her mistress.

"Not more than I have, I think." Remilia replied, lovingly stroking her maid's cheek.

There was no need for either of them to speak for a while after that. Remilia leant in closer, and locked lips with her maid. Sakuya was more than willing to return the favour, parting the eager lips of her mistress for their tongues to engage in dance. Meanwhile, their hands explored each other's bodies, yet no items of clothing were removed. They had kissed many times before, but they were hesitant and awkward, brought on by not knowing how far they were both willing to go and where the other's limits lay. There was none of that this time. Their kisses were free of concern, as if they both knew what they wanted from each other. Even Sakuya's inward chill became non-existent from Remilia's touch. The need to catch their breath forced them to break off for longer than the quick seconds they snatched here and there. Sakuya found herself on top of Remilia. The position was strangely symbolic of how much the Scarlet vampire came to rely on her.

"I love you."

"And I love you."

And so they kissed and held each other through the night….


	3. Chapter 3

The Eternal Maid

4 days later….

Sakuya was making her way back from the mansion's clock tower after cleaning it from top to bottom. She had assigned four maids to take care of it, but where they were was anyone's guess. Sakuya concluded that it would be easier to clean the tower herself rather than stalk the mansion grounds for her missing maids. Granted, she had the opportunity to discover that she could manipulate time at longer durations, as well as float a lot easier than she used to. She was still angry though. Of the twenty house staff Remilia had under her charge, only Patchouli and herself could truly be relied upon. It had always been the case even before Sakuya was old enough to take up a broom and feather duster. In the past, Sakuya had assumed that it was down to pure laziness. But lately other thoughts entered her mind. She started to wonder if the other maids deliberately undermined her authority out of disrespect, possibly due to her being in such good standing with Remilia despite being (formerly) human. Or maybe it was for another petty reason that she wasn't aware of.

But it didn't matter, as things would begin changing soon. The rest of Lady Remilia's staff would start pulling their weight. Sakuya would make damn sure of that.

As Sakuya turned a corner down the end of the hallway, she ran into a group of maids. More specifically, she ran into the four maids she originally tasked the clock tower to.

"Ah! Miss Izayoi! We were just heading towards the clock tower!" one of the maids attempted to coddle.

"Is that so? Then where are your cleaning tools?" Sakuya countered, clearly unimpressed by what she saw as a blatant lie.

"Well….uh, that's the thing…." Another maid spoke up bashfully. "We uhhh….. kinda lost them."

Sakuya stared at the maid dumbfounded, as her brain tried to contemplate how all four maids could have possibly lost their cleaning equipment amidst the torrent of seething rage she was trying to supress. Lacking anything worth saying to the maids who continued to look sheepish in her presence, she leant against a window seal with a frustrated groan. While she could only speculate on whether or not there was an agenda behind the stupidity she constantly faced, it was pretty much guaranteed either way. Something in the gardens caught her eye as she gazed out the window. Underneath the shade of an oak tree, lay a redheaded woman dressed in a white and green dress slit at the sides lay sleeping without a care in the world.

"Meiling….." Sakuya snarled, involuntarily extending her fangs. "You have one job. ONE. Job…"

The head maid took a deep breath, retracting her fangs back to their regular size in the process. She'd well and truly had enough of Remilia's staff slacking off. Starting with Meiling, they were all going to receive a shake-up. She ignored the gawking group of maids who thankfully hadn't seen her teeth as she stormed down the end of the hallway. An itching sensation on her skin greeted her upon entering the outdoor grounds. It only served to sully her mood more as she advanced through the gardens to where her target lay sleeping, no doubt blissfully unaware of the world of hurt she was about to be in.

"MEILING!" Sakuya roared, causing the sleeping youkai to spasm awkwardly from being awoken so abruptly.

"Wha?! Huh?" Meiling gazed left and right, trying to get her bearings before setting her eyes on the head maid.

"Oh….. Sakuya…." She nervously greeted, instantly aware that the Sakuya's mood was possibly darker than the attire she wore.

"Ummm, so I was practising my martial arts techniques, because as you know, Martial Arts is really important to my job as the gate guard. But then I wore myself out, and decided to take a little break, and I guess I fell asleep." The youkai babbled.

_Pathetic_, Sakuya thought to herself. _Even her excuses need excuses._ She knew that Meiling's guardhouse was nearby. She was tempted to blast the lazy Youkai on the spot, and make an example of her. But against her desires, she decided that the guardhouse was a better place to do it. On that thought, she instantly snatched Meiling by the forearm.

"What the crap?! Your hands are cold! Hey! Not so rough!" Meiling protested as Sakuya hauled her away to her guardhouse.

Meiling's guardhouse was a small stone structure built onto the walls of the mansion that overlooked the entrance to the courtyard. Its interior was furnished as a comfy room, complete with a bed that was almost never used, as Meiling preferred to do her sleeping practically everywhere else. Sakuya flung Meiling through the doorway hard enough to almost break her footing. Even with her poor observational skills, Meiling could see that there was something off about Sakuya's temperament as she slammed the door behind her.

"What gives, Sakuya? It was only a short nap." The Youkai pleaded.

"Isn't it always?" She bit back.

"Well…. I…."

"Meiling, I am tired. Tired of making exceptions for you. Out of all of us who work here, you have it the easiest. You make sure that the right people enter the mansion, and the wrong people don't. And MAYBE you help the gardeners out every once in a while. That's it! And yet somehow, you can't even manage this. You slack off more than anyone else, and you're constantly caught napping! I won't tolerate this anymore!" Sakuya's voice was raised at an angry pitch, as she gained a few feet towards Meiling.

"I'm sorry! I really am! I swear I won't fall asleep while on the job! Uhhh… I'll even help with the indoor cleaning for the rest of the week!" Meiling bargained.

"We've been down this path before. You just slip back into your old habits after a day." Sakuya countered.

"I can't punish you with chores anymore. If you don't pick up your act, then maybe Lady Remilia can be convinced that you're no longer needed." Sakuya threatened, showing an absolute lack of hesitation.

"You're threatening to have me kicked out?!" Meiling pipped up. "Y-you can't do it! There's no way! Even Lady Remilia knows that without me, she'll have no one to watch the gate!"

If Sakuya were in a better mood, a clever retort would've put Meiling in her place. But the attitude in her voice was the final straw for the maid. She violently pinned Meiling to a wall, earning a panicked yelp from the Youkai. As she held Meiling against the wall, Sakuya noticed a distant warmth emanating from her. The sensation was akin to seeing the light from a campfire after aimlessly wandering an arctic tundra. As her tides of her rage began to die down, she found herself wanting to get closer….

"Sometimes I envy you, Meiling." Sakuya's temper left her as she exhaled.

"S-Sakuya?!" A confused and frightened Meiling whimpered back.

"To tell you the truth, I'd probably do the same thing in your shoes. Just nap my day out in the warm."

That warm feeling came a little closer, yet it was still just out of reach. She felt there was something familiar about it. As though it were something she once possessed herself. She licked her lips as she leant abit closer to Meiling.

"OK Sakuya, you are seriously freaking me out right now….."

Meiling's words fell on deaf ears. With her silvery eyes locked in a trance-like state, Sakuya stared through Meiling. The warm feeling was skimming at the edge of her own being, begging for Sakuya to take it for herself. She was so sure of it now. That feeling was something she once had within herself, but became lost in an ever-encompassing cold. Now she was faced with a chance to reclaim what was once hers. Sakuya lowered her head, and bared her fangs away from Meiling's sight, ready to take that warmth from her veins.

"I must feel warm again…." Sakuya whispered, as her icy breath danced across Meiling's neck.

"Sakuya?! What are you doing?! Please stop-"

"What is going on here?" A familiar stern voice snapped Sakuya out of her trance.

Sakuya quickly snapped to her right, and instantly became horrified at what she saw. She was unsure how long Remilia had been there, as she didn't even hear her enter. Sakuya was expecting to find anything ranging from anger to disappointment on her Lady's face. After catching the woman she gave immortality to in a compromising position with someone else, Remilia had every right to be all of those things. In reality, the look on Remilia's face was one of complete neutrality, which worried Sakuya even more.

"M-my lady! I caught Meiling napping again, and I-"

"Meiling, leave us." Remilia interrupted, without any clear emotion in her voice.

The Youkai did exactly as she was told with a sudden sense of urgency, leaving Sakuya and Remilia alone in her room. Instinctively, the head maid fell to a knee, and dropped her head. She didn't dare look up as she heard the gentle footsteps of Remilia approaching her. Sakuya was certain that the Scarlet Vampire would find her unworthy of her love. To make matters worse, there would be no going back to the way things were. Now that she was a vampire, she'd most likely find herself banished. And if that were to happen, after what she'd sacrificed to be with her…

"My lady, I sought to discipline Meiling after catching her napping. She gave me some unwelcome attitude, and I lost my cool. Then something came over me, I…"

Sakuya became lost for words as Remilia stopped right infront of her. The maid found herself squinting her eyes in preparation for her Lady's reckoning. She was expecting anything from harsh chastisement to an angry slap in the face followed by angrier words. But nothing came.

"I am prepared to accept any punishment My Lady deems fit to administer."

"Sakuya." The Scarlet Vampire finally broke her silence as she put a gentle hand on her maid's shoulder, earning a surprised gasp from her.

"Listen to me very carefully…" She said. There was no anger in her voice, or even disappointment. In fact, her voice lacked any discernible emotion at all. "Because I'll only say this once."

"We are not permitted to feed on any residents within Gensokyo. And we especially can't indulge ourselves on our own staff." Remilia lectured.

"Was I really about to…"

"Yes. And if I didn't stop you, the loss of a gate guard would be among the least of my worries."

"My Lady, I….. I am so, so sorry." Sakuya apologised, still referring to Remilia formerly by title. "I swear to you that-"

"This sort of grovelling is unbecoming of you." Remilia interrupted, as she sat on the side of Meiling's bed and signalled Sakuya to take a seat beside her to which the maid obliged.

"These rules are intended to protect us from the people of Gensokyo, and them from us." Remilia began to explain. "If we were to attack anyone here out of bloodlust, Yukari wouldn't hesitate to unite all of Gensokyo against us. Even unleashing Flandre wouldn't protect us against their combined might. And we can't permanently settle in the outside world, knowing that the ones who leashed my father would set him against us. Do you understand, Sakuya? If either of us lose ourselves to bloodlust, nowhere will be safe for us."

"Your words are too kind in light of my actions. But I've heard and understood them." Sakuya replied, feeling a wash of relief come over her.

"That being said, we run even more of a risk of losing ourselves by neglecting the thirst completely, assuming death by starvation doesn't relieve us first." Remilia continued.

"This is the price of eternal life." Remilia sighed. "An unending narrow path beset with pitfalls either side….."

"And one you no longer have to walk alone." Sakuya added, as she placed a hand over the Scarlet vampire's lap, earning a slight blush from her show of affection.

"I sincerely hope not." Remilia replied, placing a hand over Sakuya's. "Because if you were to fall to bloodlust, I…."

Sakuya felt Remilia grip her hand tight enough to almost cut the circulation. The Scarlet vampire's bottom lip trembled slightly, as small watery droplets left trails down her cheek. She must have felt the tears over her face, as she quickly turned away from Sakuya.

"Remilia, why do you cry?" Sakuya gently asked.

"The consequences of you falling….. they…. They would break my heart." She answered, lightly sobbing inbetween breaths.

Without releasing Remilia's hand, Sakuya hopped off the bed, and knelt infront of her, taking her delicate hand in both hands.

"I swear to you Remilia. I will never do anything to break your heart. Mine beats along with yours, and should it break, so will mine." Sakuya put every ounce of emotion into her vow, as she lowered her head to rest against their hands.

"Well put." Remilia replied, as she rose from the bed and gently removed her hand from Sakuya's grip. "When you're done with the day's chores, meet me in the chamber above the basement. Tonight, we will visit the outerworld for your first hunt."

Sakuya herself got to her feet to see Remilia stop just outside the door. She turned around to give the maid a playful smile in contrast to the deep emotional moment that they shared earlier.

"There's some silver lining to all of this. Perhaps with a good scare, Meiling might take her job more seriously." She joked, before leaving Sakuya alone to her thoughts.

Bordering on tears one moment, then shooting off playful banter the very next. Only Remilia could make sudden mood switches seem so natural. It was one of the many qualities the vampire possessed that Sakuya found strangely charming. While most would see her fluctuating moods as random and unstable, the maid knew they were anything but. Every switch had a cause, and a desired effect. In this case, the light-hearted comment about Meiling was no doubt intended to ease Sakuya's mind over what had recently taken place. However, it had little effect here, as Sakuya's mind wandered towards the fate of Remilia's Sister, Flandre Scarlet. The only knowledge Sakuya really had of Flandre, was what Remelia and Patchouli had told her. She knew that like Remilia, she was bitten by Vlad Tepes, the First Vampire, shortly after being abandoned by their 'original' family. While Remilia learnt to exert her willpower over her bloodlust, the only thing that held Flandre in check was her father figure. But when Vlad was defeated by the Hellsing family, any restraint she had burst apart at the seams, leaving nothing but an insatiable thirst for blood, destruction and murder. Along with that, she possessed unfathomable power rivalling or possibly surpassing The First Vampire.

Knowing the sort of Carnage Flandre would unleash upon the world if left unchecked, Remilia lured her into the basement of their mansion. After a violent clash between that almost cost Remilia her life, she managed to trap Flandre within a powerful arcane seal. With Vlad's armies destroyed, it would only be a matter of time before the Hellsing family caught up with her. In order to save both herself, and the people that wanted her dead, she persuaded Yukari Yakumo to let her hide both herself and her sister within Gensokyo.

To this day, she still exists. Never again to be released from her bondage in fear of what might happen if she were. Logically, the deprivation of blood should've rendered her dead from starvation. But Remilia described her as an anomaly that defied all common vampirical attributes. For everyone's protection, the basement was off limits to all staff-even Sakuya. The only person allowed to enter aside from Remilia herself was Patchouli. And even she wasn't allowed to go alone. In light of today's close call, this would probably change. She had no doubt that Remilia would walk her through those doors to see first-hand the consequences of not exercising self-restraint. Taking a deep sigh, Sakuya straightened out her dress, before turning to leave Meiling's guardhouse. She had a big night ahead of her, and dwelling on such thoughts was….. unproductive.


	4. Chapter 4

The Eternal Maid

Tokyo Central, 9:30 PM.

Sakuya and Remilia stood upon the edge of a skyscraper, observing the view below them. The Maid's eyes, having never been opened to the outside world, darted back and forth at the infinite display of alien spectacles around her. The first thing she noticed was the lights. She'd never seen this many of them before, but they were everywhere, of every colour of the rainbow and bright enough to render a normally starry night pitch black. But unlike the tranquillity offered from a night sky, the lights below her were chaotic, constantly moving and blinking. The other thing she noticed was the people. The biggest gathering she'd ever attended was barely over a hundred people. On the city streets below, there were thousands. Tens of thousands even. From this distance, they looked like a colourful mass of ants, scurrying back and forth through the streets. But with her enhanced vision, she could make out the finer details of a person's features if she focused on him or her. This was the world beyond Gensokyo. A world where science and technology prevailed, and magic was regarded as myth and fantasy.

Sakuya Izayoi hated it already.

In contrast, Lady Remilia looked exceptionally stunning. Normally favouring simple garments around the mansion, tonight she looked like a true vampire countess. Her dress was pure white, black trimmed with goth-like decorations and featuring a large red collar shaped in the wings of a bat. Her legs, normally bare arms and legs were clad in black stockings and armbands, finished off with dark travelling boots and elbow length gloves. A wide brimmed hat matching the colour of her dress replaced the tighter fitting headcap she often wore back at home. Save for her face, almost every part of her was dressed in jewels and other regalia befitting a true vampire. A large tower, taller than all the buildings and ominously dark caught the stern gaze of the Scarlet Vampire.

"Is something bothering you, Remilia?" Sakuya asked, taking her gaze away from the crowd.

"Just a small errand I have to deal with at some point tonight. Nothing for you to concern yourself with." She replied.

"Do you remember what I told you?"

"Yes." Sakuya replied, turning her attention back to the crowd." I may drink from only one person."

"That's right. We take only what we need, and nothing more. What else?"

"The most sustaining blood will be found in adolescents and adults. The elderly are not recommended. Children are off limits."

"Elderly blood will not bear the same sustenance needed to supress our urges. Child blood hasn't reached a suitable level of maturity. And finally?"

"My victim must be drunk from until dead."

"Our existence must be kept a secret, which means we can't risk a live victim turn vampire, or even worse. A thrall."

"I trust you're OK with this?" Remilia asked.

"Komachi will ferry the soul I choose to take tonight across the Sanzu River. Paradise or Hell, my choice will be just." Sakuya replied stoically.

"Good….." Remilia remarked, before turning her attention back to the tower whilst her maid continued to sift through the crowd.

Being a resident of Gensokyo naturally brought about a greater sense of spirituality and a better understanding of the afterlife. It afforded her a small measure of comfort in knowing that her fangs would merely provide an early entry to the next life, rather than an ultimate, final end. Her thoughts on the afterlife stopped when she eyed somebody particularly striking within the vast mass of people. It was a woman, barely on the cusp of adulthood. With long blonde hair neatly combed, she wore a plain white dress of a similar design to Sakuya's, if alittle more loose fitting. And like the maid, she also wore a tied bow around the color, a contrasting red to Sakuya's jade green bow. The similarities in their attire ended there. With only a set of white knee-high boots and fingerless gloves, her clothing was far more simplistic compared to Sakuya's. But that wasn't what caught the maid's attention. Her fair, angelic facial features where hidden behind a frustrated scowl, as she frantically paced back and forth holding a strange device to her ear. Sakuya's spiritual justification yielded to her baser desires. She had to taste this woman's blood, and savour every drop. Even in her head, she couldn't describe what it was that the maid found alluring. It just had to be her, and there was nothing else to it.

"So that one's your choice, huh?" The maid almost jumped out of her skin when Remilia placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"R-Remilia?! How did you?!" Sakuya stuttered, her cheeks burning with bright pink shame against her otherwise pail skin.

"Because I probably would've chosen someone like that myself. Nothing to be ashamed of, my dear." Remilia smiled, before two sets of large bat-like wings sprouted from her waist.

"Now then, I really must deal with this errand. I trust you'll be alright on your own then?" Before Sakuya could reply, Remilia took to the skies, bound for the ominous tower in the distance.

The maid sighed deeply, turning back to the crowd to make sure her prey hadn't escaped. Thankfully, she hadn't moved anywhere, but she would only stay put for so long. Her head ached, as she fought off the temptation to simply leap down there and feed right in the middle of a busy intersection. It was her first hunt with Remilia, and of all the places she could've chosen, she takes her to a thriving metropolis, where there seemed to be nowhere secluded to feed. And Remilia herself was absent, taking care of some business right when Sakuya needed her guidance the most. The maid couldn't help but feel slightly annoyed at this turn of events.

_No. I mustn't question Remilia's judgement. If she trusts me to do this alone, then I will not disappoint her. _With her resolve strengthened, Sakuya Izayoi continued to observe her prey and her surroundings, as she carefully formulated a plan…..

.

"Goddamnit, Asuka. Pick up the damn phone….."

Emile de Rochefort, or better known as Lili, stood impatiently, listening to a dial tone for the 20th time tonight. She had been standing at this intersection for a good hour tonight, but she would not relent. After losing to Asuka Kazama in the 5th King of Iron Fist tournament, every fibre of her being hungered for revenge. With no idea when or even if the next tournament would take place, she decided to take matters into her own hands, and set the stage for vengeance herself. After months of rigorous training, she had herself secretly enrolled in the Mishima Polytechnical School, where Asuka studied. Several attempts to get her revenge on school grounds ended prematurely thanks to the school's vigilant security. She could only bribe her way out of expulsion so many times, so she took a different approach. She cornered one of Asuka's friends, and beat Asuka's number out of her. Tonight, Lili's intention was to lure Asuka to this busy intersection and administer the beating she deserved in public. What better way to achieve revenge than to humiliate her infront of a crowd. All that was left, was for Asuka to answer her phone…

"Y'ello?" Asuka greeted in her casually slang tone.

"Finally! I've been trying to reach you for-"

"PSYCHE! Gotcha good! I'm obviously not answering my phone right now, but leave a message, and I might get back to you, sayonara!"

That voice mail message. For the 21st time. Lili was incensed to the point of screaming.

"Asuka Kazama, you get your scrawny ass to Shibuya terminal right now to receive your just-desserts this instant! Do NOT keep me waiting!"

After hanging up the phone, Lili slouched her back with a defeated sigh. Coming from a background of wealth and class, she considered herself to be above using vulgarity in her speech. Only a few things got her angry enough to curse. Asuka Kazama was one of them.

"My lady, we've been at this for a good hour." Sebastian, her butler and guardian spoke through a small earpiece in her left ear. "Please, let us retire for the night. We can try again another time."

"I don't care if we're here all night!" Lili responded, looking like a raving lunatic shouting at herself to passers bye. "I will not retreat from this spot until Asuka Kazama is lying at my feet!"

"As you wish, My lady."

Lili heard sebastion sigh on the other end of the earpiece. Normally, she would've scolded him for audibly showing disdain, but her anger was far too focused on Asuka for it to even rate a mention. Again, she turned to her phone. Asuka's number stood displayed on the touch screen, as it had done for the past hour. Her thumb barely hit 'dial' as she was knocked slightly off balance by a hard shove to her back, causing her phone to pop out of her hand. She lurched forward to regain her footing, only to watch the phone land with a sickening crack on the road. Any life left in the phone was quickly dispatched by a passing bus. Gritting her teeth, Lili spun around towards whatever pushed her, hoping to find Asuka standing there.

What she found instead was a woman of a similar physical build of her own. With wild shoulder length silver hair, and skin bordering on albino, the woman was dressed as some strange gothic maid. Her platinum eyes would have unnerved Lili if she wasn't seething in anger. The sheepish, yet confident smirk on her face only served to enrage her more. She wasn't Asuka, but she was foolish enough to tempt Lili's wrath. At the very least, she could visualise the Kansai fighter's face while pummeling away at this bitch.

"You….. you broke my phone. You picked a bad time to mess with me, you imbecilic little tart!" Lili barked, clenching her fists as she strode towards her.

Her assailant merely gave a light giggle, as she skipped away from her into a run towards a small alleyway.

"Cowardly whore! You are NOT running away from this!" Lili roared, as she gave chase.

She turned into the alleyway, to find the woman already making another turn. Lili raced down the same path, only to find her making another turn. This pattern continued for a while, as Lili chased the gothic made through a series of increasingly illogical back alleyway sections. With each turn Lili made, her assailant would be making another one, staying agonizingly within reach. The chase finally brought a heavily panting Lili into a street of some kind. With absolutely no sign of the gothic maid, she took in her surroundings.

Everything about this place struck her as wrong. The street was lined with derelict buildings, grey lifeless forms in various stages of decay, and none of them over 5 stories high. Mere moments ago, Lili was impatiently waiting at Shibuya Terminal, there was no way a run-down street like this could possibly exist this close to one of the busiest areas in Tokyo. And even if that were the case, she should still be able to hear the nearby hustle and bustle. Or see the brilliant colours displayed by the taller skyscrapers in the distance. Yet, she could see nothing towering over the seemingly endless expanse of abandoned buildings around her. The soft howl of the wind spoke volumes of a distinct lack of civilisation around her. And as for light, Tokyo central's dazzling lightshow was replaced by an eerie glow from a swollen red moon, poorly covered by a light crimson mist. Lili's heart rate began to rise, as fear of her surroundings took hold. Nervously, she approached what looked like a run-down playground over the other side of the road.

"Sebastian?" She spoke softly into her earpiece.

She anxiously crossed the road as she waited for a response. There was nothing. Not even static.

"This isn't funny Sebastian! I'm lost! You have me tracked on GPS, I need you to come get me right now!"

Again, nothing. Lili gulped as she wandered aimlessly about the playground. There were rare times when Lili's selfish and demanding nature would push Sebastian far enough to take a stand against her. But as Lili's personal attendant, she would never abandon her, surely. Lili kept trying to mentally produce a logical scenario. Maybe there was an equipment failure, and Sebastian's team were desperately combing the nearby area for her. For now, her immediate issue was getting out of this place. Logic dictated that she go back through the alleyway and backtrack her way back to Shibuya. Logic also dictated that the entrance to the alleyway would still be there. When she turned, she found yet another building where her alleyway should've been. Now Lili was genuinely terrified.

"Is anyone here?!" Lili cried out, hoping that at least one living soul still occupied the street somewhere.

"Please….. I'm lost, and I need help. Someone! Anyone! Please, answer me!" Her call increased in volume and desperation.

"Oi." A smooth female voice replied within close proximity.

Lili spun around in that general direction, and found the gothic maid who'd shoved her sitting cross-legged on a swing nearby. Lili hadn't been that far behind her when she gave chase through the alleyway, so logically she shouldn't have been able to disappear from sight only to re-appear behind her. There was that word again. Logic. The concept that Lili clung so desperately to, despite it obviously having no sway in her current situation. The maid's crystalline irises focused an unnerving gaze on Lili. There was intent behind those eyes that Lili was not completely aware of, yet not completely blind to. The maid had ill plans for her.

"You….." Lili spoke, hesitant to take her eyes away from her.

"Yes, me." The maid replied, as she gracefully propped herself up from the swing.

"It's your fault I ended up here, so you will lead me back out. I'm willing to overlook your previous transgression as a reward." Lili demanded, trying to impose her stature and wealth.

"I see. And if I refuse?" The maid coyly replied.

"I will beat you again and again until you agree!" The maid's taunt caused Lili's temper to flare up again.

"Well that's no good. I can't possibly show you out if I'm badly hurt." Vocally, Lili was on the back foot. The maid knew it, and was clearly toying with her now.

"Of course, you're more than welcome to try it."

That was the last straw for Lili. With an angry roar, she launched herself into battle against the maid with a series of graceful and acrobatic kicks. Although each attack forced the maid a step back, everything Lili threw at her was effortlessly dodged and occasionally parried. The process began to feel like keeping up with a lead dancer, rather than an actual fight. It had to end. Lili planted her left foot down, before spinning on it, bringing her right foot across her assailant's face. This attack wasn't dodged or parried. A solid 'thwap' from foot to cheek signalled a clean hit. Lili completed her spin to observe the damage, and gawked at what she saw. With the force she put into that kick, she could've floored a heavyweight wrestler. The maid, however was not only still on her feet, she showed no signs of reeling from that impact. Her head was only tilted right, as if someone had merely slapped her.

"I assume you're all warmed up now." The maid spoke, before turning her head slowly to burn a lust filled transfixing glare into Lili's retinas.

"Good."

It took every ounce of willpower Lili had to fight off the hypnotic effects of the maid's gaze. Clearly ruffled from the maid's constant taunting, she spun in the opposite direction, intend on driving her right foot heel first into….. nothing. The maid was nowhere to be found. Lili hadn't even seen her move. It was as if she just vanished. Lili barely had time to process the how and why as a hand that felt like a block of ice caught her under thigh midframe. While another arm snaked across her waist, followed by a lithe body pressed tightly against her back. The maid now held her in a compromising position. Had anyone else been around, they would've gotten a good view of lili's aqua undergarments. Her own body heat, built up from both rage, and now shame fought against the unnatural chill radiating from the maid.

"So angry. So fired up….." The maid trailed off in her ear, as the hand holding Lili's leg in place slid further upwards.

"So….. warm…"

It didn't take long for Lili to realise where the maid's hand was going. In a fit of panic, she lurched forward, breaking the maid's hold on her, before hitting the ground in a roll. She awkwardly rose to her feet, and looked back at the maid. Lili's resolve was already on shaky ground the moment she stepped out of that alleyway. The moment the maid vanished and grabbed her from seemingly nowhere broke her will to fight. This place, her, everything was terrifyingly wrong. She needed to escape. She had to try. With fighting her attacker rendered pointless, her only option was to run. If she could leg it down the street and lose the maid in a sprint, she could plan the rest as she went. Maybe her luck would change, and she'd find Sebastian's team looking for her. It was now or never. She spun around to leave the playground, but stumbled onto her backside when her vision focused. The maid had somehow appeared before her, blocking the exit.

"H-how?! You were right…" A terrified Lili stuttered as she scrambled to her feet, before turning around….

"THERE!" She gasped at the side of the maid being where she originally was.

Lili took several shaky steps back, not even so much as blinking out of fear where the maid might appear next. With her mind all but overwhelmed debilitating fear, Lili manically tried to rationalise what was happening to her. The quickest and most solid answer was that she was dreaming. She somehow fell asleep at Shibuya terminal, and she's now sleeping safely in her family's japan residence, no doubt brought there by Sebastian. There was no way any of this could be real. And yet the fear made it feel more real than anything else.

"Who….. what are you?!" Lili continued to backpedal as the maid stalk towards her with agonisingly slow steps.

"My dear, we don't need names or titles. Not here." Her tone was low and demure, hinting at the dark intentions she had for Lili.

"Please…. Why are you doing this?! What do you want from me?!" The once proud socialite begged.

"I don't want anything from you. I want…"

Lili's eyes, having been fixated on the maid, finally caved. She blinked for only a split second. When her eyes opened, her entire field of view became saturated with her sharp facial features.

"You."

With a gasp, Lili felt backwards, landing on her back unceremoniously. The maid quickly followed her, pinning her to the ground by both wrists while a knee settled itself uncomfortably close to Lili's core. Even if her piercing silver eyes hadn't petrified her body, her grip over Lili was too strong to break out of. One hand detached itself Lili's wrists and procured a stiletto knife from nowhere. The maid then proceeded to point it at lili's throat, before slowly moving it downwards, lightly brushing against the fabric of Lili's blouse.

"Please… stop…." Lili begged between stifled sobs that went unanswered.

"I don't want to die… please…." Suddenly, the maid stopped. Her knife rested over the middle of Lili's cleavage.

"You don't need to fear death so, my dear." She replied, as tip of her knife found an opening.

"I don't know exactly what happens to a soul when they pass, but I've seen enough to know that death is not the end." As the maid spoke, her knife returned upwards, severing each button along the way, before finally completing its journey with the top button, leaving Lili's chest exposed save for hints of an aqua bra top.

"Relax and rejoice. I'm about to set you free." The maid whispered in Lili's ear.

Suddenly, the knife literally disappeared from her hand. The maid pressed her cold body closer to Lili's, causing the socialite to spasm slightly. Her head tilted, presenting her neck to the maid. This was made worse when she leant down alittle further, gently breathing chilled air onto her neck. Lili suddenly remembered that the maid had discarded her knife, it she made it quite clear that she intended to kill her. How would she do it without a knife?

The answer came when two sharp ivory stakes penetrated her neck.

Eyes widened, Lili gasped as her body arched violently upward into the maid. Despite the sudden burst of strength, the maid quickly re-asserted her dominance over the socialite. It only took a few mouthfuls worth of blood for any resemblance of strength to leave her body. She could barely comprehend what was happening to her. The maid was a vampire! And she was drinking her blood. There was no other way of explaining it in her severely fractured mind.

"God… please…" Lili murmured.

It was here that the vampire maid's embrace turned more….. affectionate. The remaining hand that griped her wrist moved to her hands, interlacing their fingers. While the hand that wielded the knife moved to Lili's hair, sensually stroking her locks. Finally, the maid shifted her body slightly, allowing her thigh to slide up Lili's groin, earning tiny breathless whimpers from a now teary eyed Lili. With the way the maid held her neck firmly in her mouth, and that way her tongue moved across her skin to lap up every drop of blood, it wouldn't be long before Lili lost herself to pleasure and contentment. The last vestiges of her rationality screamed for all they were worth that this was a bad thing. That she needed to do something-anything to escape. They screamed on deaf ears, as she faced the blissful reality of her fate.

Emile de Rochefort was dying. She was being murdered slowly by a creature of the night.

And she was enjoying it.

Her arm trembled lightly, as she draped it across her murderer's back to accommodate her.

"Don't stop….."

.

Remilia Scarlet looked down emotionlessly at the corpse of a blonde woman she'd just drunk from. For the woman known as Nina Williams, her fate was a final stroke of bad luck after arriving too late to assist her boss. For Remilia, she was a well-deserved reward for wasting her time on a trivial matter.

The said trivial matter was now a red past that coated his 'throne'.

Remilia was aware of the Mishima clan, though their petty family struggle over their empire and the laughably pathetic 'devil gene' less than interested her. But Patchouli had learnt that the youngest Mishima, who bore his mother's last name had discovered the existence of Azazel, and had intended on awakening him. The idea of 'The Rectifier of All Things' running rampant was a cause for concern for Remilia, and with the Hellsing Organisation too caught up in its pissing contest with the Catholic church to notice a credible supernatural threat, it fell to Remilia to deal with the matter herself. She came to the Mishima Zaibatsu's headquarters to deliver its infant master a stern warning: Leave Azazel be, or die.

He replied to her threat with the most ridiculous rhetoric she'd heard in a long time. That Azazel had been speaking to him in the back of his mind, tempting the devil within him. Azazel had him convinced that the only way to purge himself of his family bloodcurse, was to fill with the world with enough negative energy. Thus, enabling his return in which he could be defeated only by someone who carries the devil gene. Remilia knew that the boy could barely control the tiny slither of power he was blessed with, and he had the audacity to claim that he was the only one who could permanently destroy Azazel. Remilia was genuinely insulted by this claim. In hindsight, using a bloodlance spell was probably blatant overkill on Remilia's part, but it was justified overkill. Jin Kazama needed to see what real power looked like before the end. It was at that point where Nina stormed the room with several heavily armed soldiers.

…And the rest was history.

Giving one last glance at the body, Remilia clicked her left fingers, causing it to be consumed in a mass of brilliant blue flames. They burned violently for a few moments before dissipating, leaving only ash in their wake. With the matter in general resolved, she had probably stopped world war 3 from happening, or at least postponed it for a while. But this was an afterthought for the Scarlet vampire. Preventing Azazel's resurrection was her primary concern her. And even then, she had bigger fish to fry….

"Well with that done, let's go see how Sakuya's doing." She spoke to herself, before extending her wings to take flight and leave the carnage behind.

Remilia soared high above the bustling metropolis, as she gained a fix on Sakuya's location. As she zeroed in, she felt a sharp spike in magical energy, and it was vampiric in nature. She didn't sense **Him** anywhere nearby, so it meant one other possibility. She flew alittle closer, and her jaw dropped when she discovered what had caused her senses to spike.

_That's an illusionary field! Created by Sakuya! But how?!_

The illusionary field is one of the more advanced spells in a vampire's arsenal. The spell involves creating a temporal pocket dimension, primarily to ensnare a victim or a group of victims, virtually swallowing them out of reality for as long as the field is projected. So as not to attract unwanted attention, the field is projected onto the intended victims so as not to accidentally ensnare large crowds. Sakuya's field wasn't particularly strong, and thankfully not very large, but it was beside the point. It took Remilia fifteen years of training to conjure one successfully. Sakuya had been a vampire alittle over a week, and it seemed as though she was creating them sub-consciously, leading the Scarlet vampire to wonder if she was even aware she was doing it. Luckily, simply being aware of the field granted Remilia the ability to pass into it.

_Let's take a look-see, shall we?_

She passed through, leaving what appeared to be a water ripple in reality. Her surroundings instantly changed from busy metropolis to post-apocalyptic ruins. The decayed buildings, eerie silence and red moon would no doubt strike fear into the heart of her chosen victim. But Remilia saw it as drab, boring, and severely lacking the personality Sakuya possessed.

_Oh Sakuya… this is not you at all….._

…But as she glided towards rooftop level, she spotted her dear maid and her victim. And her eyes lit up.

_This on the otherhand, is all you._

Remilia Scarlet had drunk countless victims in her many centuries. Despite this, she still remembered her first, as though she'd just drunk from him mere minutes ago. A hapless Romanian soldier, she remembered making quite mess of him, ripping deep into his neck to take in equal parts blood and agony(which was a damn sight better than the fate suffered by her sister's first). She hoped that the girl underneath Sakuya considered how lucky she was. To spend her last moments in pure bliss, and her death administered with the grace and sensuality that her maid was capable of. It had suddenly occurred to Remilia that they'd never made love before, and the thought caused her cheeks to burn bright pink. Once they return home, she would have Sakuya ravish her thoroughly and repeatedly. Remilia continued to watch her maid feed, as her body heat rose from a combination of recent blood and the thought of Sakuya's hands exploring every inch of her body….

.

She hadn't run off of pure instinct for this long, but the idea barely registered a thought as Sakuya Izayoi happily gulped down mouthfuls of her accommodating victim. There was a plan in place at some point. Sakuya could only remember the basic outlines. Get her attention, lead her someplace quiet, then strike. The plan should've been methodical and emotionless. It was definitely methodical, but the way the young girl was so easily flustered triggered something within Sakuya that made this anything but emotionless. In her position, she could now appreciate how Remilia might have enjoyed stirring her up once upon a time ago. She was certainly enjoying it in a similar sense now. Here it served to rile both predator and prey in anticipation for the feed.

…But even all the posturing couldn't prepare her for the actual feast. Until tonight, Sakuya had never tasted blood before. It lay somewhere between the boundaries of bitter and salty, yet there was a poignant sweetness to it that she would never have appreciated as a human. She savoured each mouthful as a cherished memory, and all of her subtle and sultry movements against her victim served to elongate those memories. Her doubts about feeding and taking life were drowned by the sweet taste of blood and the feeling of fulfilment that came with it. The soul that needed to be sacrificed in exchange didn't concern her. She knew that Komachi would take care of the rest.

…And speaking of, her chosen soul was about to expire. Every mouthful yielded less blood, and Sakuya could feel the girl's arm over her back slipping. Then finally, it slid from her back completely, while her stream of blood slowed to a trickle. The warm feeling from the woman's body now resonated within Sakuya herself, bringing back those not-so-long lost memories of what it felt like to be human. Her victim was spent, and Sakuya's thirst was sated. Retracting her fangs to their regular size, she removed her mouth from the puncture wounds left in her victim's neck before rearing her back up to observe her prey. All the colour had been drained from her face-only her sparkling sapphire irises retained their lively colour. Her death mask was that of tranquillity, similar to the sort worn by the elderly, having finally been granted access to the next world after a long and arduous lift. Sakuya hoped this experience had quelled some of the impatient fire within her victim's soul-Komachi would only tolerate so many of her demands before dropping her in the Sanzu River. As she rose to her feet, she became aware of Remilia's presence a few feet away, but in her tranced stated of sweet contentment, she didn't acknowledge her. She continued to stare at the bloodied moon whil the Scarlet Vampire walked over to the corpse. With a click of her fingers, Remilia ignited it in blue flames for a few moments, reducing it to nothing more than black ask.

"How do you feel?" Remilia asked her unresponsive maid.

"Sakuya?" She tried again, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Without warning, Sakuya spun around, capturing a bewildered Remilia in her arms before crashing their lips together. This stunned the Scarlet vampire momentarily, but quickly matched her maid's intensity. The two of them pressed their bodies together tightly, as tongues clashed and lips sucked to extend Sakuya's sudden lustful display of love. In the back of her mind, she wondered why she exploded onto Remilia like that. Was it deep seated guilt for having shared a semi-intimate moment with someone who wasn't Remilia? Maybe this was brought on from the euphoric feeling derived from consuming fresh blood? However, these questions barely registered as background noise, easily drowned out by the clicking of tongues and lips. The need for oxygen caused them to break off, as the two of them held each other, red-cheeked and panting from sudden exhaustion.

"So….. that's your answer." Remilia huffed.

"I don't know what came over me…. Forgive my impulsiveness." An equally out of breath Sakuya replied.

"Alittle impulsiveness is good….. Sometimes." Remilia spoke, her breath slowly calming now.

"Speaking of which, it's time we returned home." The Scarlet Vampire gazed at her maid from underneath her hat. "I want to see more of this."

* * *

If you're reading this, then that means I've hopefully done a good job of delivering some readable fanfiction to you. Having said that, I've no doubt there are things you're wondering about. I'm gonna answer them as best as I can.

*You might have noticed that I didn't get too descriptive on bodyshapes-at least where the Touhou characters were concerned. This is for open interpretation purposes. While Remilia Scarlet is mostly depicted as post loli(at best), I personally like to imagine her as have a somewhat mature frame. But without explaining exactly what bodyshape she has, the reader is free to imagine her any way he or she wishes.

*The concept of Sakuya turning vampire is something that I genuinely wanted to write about. I feel that(with what little I know of the Touhouverse), Sakuya would easily take that plunge for Remilia if she asked for it. And Remilia would ask for it. Because Sakuya is the most loyal and dependable retainer she's ever had, not to mention that Remilia's a bit of a selfish brat.

*So the only way for anyone to get in and out of Gensokyo, is through the Hakurei shrine, supposedly. But I honestly can't imagine people like Remilia and Yukari not having their own ways of leaving to and fro.

*Yes. This fic turns crossover on the last chapter. You're probably wondering why I'm blatantly breaking 'the rules' and not posting this as a crossover fic. Well, the Tekkenverse doesn't really come into effect until the last chapter, and even then, it only plays a supporting role with Lili being the only character to have any spoken lines. Also, I feel this won't get anywhere near as much exposure if posted in a crossover section than it would being exclusively Touhou. If people aren't happy with this, then they are more than happy to contact their friendly neighborhood admin to have this removed, whereby I will learn my lesson, and post this in the 'appropriate' spot.

OK, that's pretty much all I have to say. I hope you enjoyed for the most part. Wanna review, got right ahead. Don't? Well that's cool too.


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